I hadn't had a bowel movement for three days, and my stomach was as hard as a rock. I squatted until my feet were numb, but I could only squeeze out two goat droppings.
When you see this page, you and I both shudder—isn’t this talking about me?
Don’t rush to take laxatives. A recent Japanese clinical study in 2023 offers a “cowardly solution”: Throwing a banana into a steamer can increase bowel movements by 62% in just seven days.
Sound like a tax on your IQ?
It was published in Frontiers in Nutrition, with a sample size of 120 people. It has a DOI number and can be found.
The principle is simple: the tannins in raw bananas make you feel more bloated the more you eat them. But once they’re steamed, the tannins disappear, and the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) actually surge by 47%, effectively giving your intestinal “poop carriers” a shot in the arm.
China Agricultural University conducted a quick test and found that steaming preserves 92% of the dietary fiber, while the microwave version only retains 68%—if you’re feeling lazy, think for yourself.
Those who know how to enjoy bananas will know:
1. Choose ripe bananas with pockmarked skins—the uglier the better.
2. Cut into sections, boil water, and steam for 8 minutes, until a chopstick can easily penetrate.
3. While still hot, sprinkle three pitted longans and drizzle with half a teaspoon of honey. Remember, avoid the high-temperature honey used in supermarkets, as it kills the active enzymes and is effectively wasted.
Eat one banana daily after dinner. Don’t overdo it; save some extra time for your intestines.
Some people complain, “I’ve been eating this for two days, and I still haven’t gotten any results?”
—It’s probably because your constitution isn’t right for them.
Last year, Peking Union Medical College Hospital divided constipation into "dry-heat type" and "deficiency-cold type":
For those with dryness and heat: dry mouth, yellow tongue, and poop that’s as dry as small rocks. Steamed bananas are perfect for this.
For those with coldness and weakness: fear of cold, white tongue coating, and poop that feels like an 800-meter run. Red bean and wood ear mushroom soy milk is the perfect solution.
Upgrade the recipe: 30g red beans + 1 soaked wood ear mushroom + 20g soybeans. Blend in a blender and add 1 teaspoon of chia seeds. Let it sit for 5 minutes to create “jelly soy milk.” This instantly increases dietary fiber by 40%. Your stomach may rumble after drinking it, but it won’t cause a soy fever.
Do you think soy milk is too slow?
This year, the Korean Traditional Health Center launched a “Coconut Milk Papaya Drink”: 200ml of warm coconut milk (not overly sweetened coconut water) plus 1/4 of a ripe papaya, blended for 10 seconds. This combination of papain and lauric acid resulted in a “first bowel movement” in 81% of patients with chronic constipation.
Note: The papaya must be fully ripe; green papaya can irritate the gastrointestinal tract.
If you’re even more lazy, there’s also Australia’s “Golden Milkshake”: 100g of steamed purple sweet potato, 150ml of unsweetened yogurt, and 5ml of hemp seed oil. The anthocyanins in the purple sweet potato provide a protective barrier to the intestines, while the hemp seed oil provides direct lubrication. A small-scale trial at the University of Melbourne showed that a week of this treatment tripled the number of “good bacteria” (Bifidobacteria) in the intestines and even reduced gastroenteritis outbreaks.
A warning for all prescriptions: If there’s no effect after two weeks, seek immediate medical attention for a colonoscopy. Don’t treat a tumor as constipation. Also, avoid staying up late scrolling through your phone or eating steamed bananas. A study conducted at the same time by Peking Union Medical College Hospital found that the same prescription, combined with 10 minutes of daily Kegel exercises, increased effectiveness from 58% to 89%—your gut needs to be healthy, too; eating alone isn’t enough.
Finally, a heartwarming thought:
For those truly constipated, their eyes light up at the word “laxative.” But no one tells you that drinking green tea made with apples actually worsens constipation (the British Journal of Gastroenterology just debunked this claim, pointing out that tannin levels are skyrocketing), nor does anyone remind you that supermarket honey has become “sugar water.”
Share this article with your family group so Mom won’t be tricked into buying “magic laxative tea” by short videos again. After all, saving time in the bathroom is true freedom in life.
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